boxer

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright The Columbia University Press

boxer, breed of medium-sized, muscular working dog perfected in Germany in the 19th cent. but whose origins may be traced back in Europe to the 16th cent. It stands from 21 to 25 in. (53.3–63.5 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 75 lb (27.2–34 kg). It has a short, smooth, shiny coat of fawn or brindle, often with white markings on the head, chest, and feet, and a black muzzle. The ears are cropped to stand erect, and the tail is docked. A relative of numerous breeds of the bulldog type, the boxer was originally used in dogfighting and bullbaiting. Today it is trained as a police dog and as a guide dog for the blind. The boxer is also kept as a pet. See dog.

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Boxer

Boxer1 a member of a fiercely nationalistic Chinese secret society which flourished in the 19th century. In 1899 the society led a Chinese uprising against Western domination which was eventually crushed by a combined European force, aided by Japan and the US. The name translates Chinese yì hé quán, literally ‘righteous harmony fists’.

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Boxer

Box·er
/ ˈbäksər/
•
n.
a member of a fiercely nationalistic Chinese secret society that flourished in the 19th century. In 1899 the society led a Chinese uprising (
the Boxer Rebellion) against Western domination that was eventually crushed by a combined European force, aided by Japan and the U.S.

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boxer

boxer Smooth-haired working dog bred originally in Germany. It has a broad head with a deep, short, square muzzle, and its deep-chested body is set on strong, medium-length legs. The tail is commonly docked, and its coat is generally red or brown, with black and white markings. Height: to 61cm (24in) at the shoulder.

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Boxer

Boxer2 in Orwell's Animal Farm (1945), the name of the carthorse who is a type of simple and hardworking loyalty (his credo is ‘I must work harder’), but who is rewarded by being sent to the knacker's when no longer physically able to work.

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